New Carissa Oil Spill Natural Resource Trustees

NEW CARISSA SETTLEMENT PROVIDES LAND FOR MARBLED MURRELET RECOVERY

Confederted Tribes of Siletz to Manage Newly Acquired Land for Marbled Murrelets
The Siletz Tribe was selected by the Trustees for the M/V New Carissa oil spill to take ownership of 3,851 acres of existing and potential marbled murrelet habitat in the Oregon Coast Range forest. On July 20, 2007, the Trustees officially transferred the property, which was acquired under the restoration plan for damages resulting from the oil spill, to the Tribe. The Tribe will manage the lands through a conservation easement designed to restore and protect marbled murrelet habitat values. Under the conservation easement, public access including hunting, fishing, and hiking will be allowed on portions of the conservation area. The Tribe will pay applicable county taxes and will engage local contractors. For more information on the status of the Marbled Murrelet, click here.

A Secretive Seabird. The Marbled Murrelet is a small diving seabird that belongs to the Auk family whose range extends along the Pacfiic coast from southern Alaska, to British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. Murrelets nest mainly in coniferous forest, generally within 30 miles of the coast, and they forage in near-shore marine habitats.

Listed as a Threatened Species in 1992 . Due to the loss of nesting habitat from logging and urbanization, and impacts from gill-net fisheries and oil pollution, the Murrelet population in Washington, Oregon, and California was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

Status Review. As a requirement of the Endangered Species Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a status review of the species. A panel of experts reviewed available scientific information since the Murrelet was listed and produced an Evaluation Report. In addtion to evaluating and interpreting the biology, the report also evaluates current threats to the bird's survival.